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This is Defector, a new sports blog and media company. We made this place together, we own it together, we run it together. Without access, without favor, without discretion, and without interference.

Defector

Patrick Redford

Newly acquired Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani puts on his jersey for the first time as Chairman of the Los Angeles Dodgers Mark Walter looks on during a press conference on December 14, 2023 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Early Reviews Suggest That MLB’s New Jerseys Suck Ass

Tom Ley

An image from Jesse Hernandez's body cam footage

Policing

Cop Empties Clip On Suburban Street After Hearing Acorn Strike His Car

Lauren Theisen

The Padres Squandered The Greatest Gift

Ray Ratto

OAKLAND, CA - JULY 19: Owner John Fisher of the Oakland Athletics stands in the stands during the game against the Houston Astros at the Oakland Coliseum on July 19, 2016 in Oakland, California. The Athletics defeated the Astros 4-3. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/Oakland Athletics/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** John Fisher

Look Who’s Come Crawling Back To Oakland

Soraya Roberts

Color-coded passages of text tracking James Somerton's plagiarism

Arts And Culture

It’s A Great Time To Be A Plagiarist

Justin Ellis

A man sitting in an Apple Store in Los Angeles demos the Apple Vision Pro with his hands held wide apart in a very silly way.

Capital

The Problem With The Goggles Of The Future Is Today

Defector Up All Night

Look At This Big Stupid Desk

Morgan Rielly cross-checks Ridly Greig after an empty-net slap shot.

Ridly Greig’s Empty-Net Clapper Has Turned Into A Provincial Scandal

Israel Daramola

A display for CBS Sports Streaming on Paramount+ is shown in front of the Bellagio Hotel & Casino.

Paramount CEO Announces Layoffs One Day After Boasting About Super Bowl Revenue

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

Ted Leonsis’s Suburban Dreams Are Drowning In Glenn Youngkin’s Big Fat Mouth

Columnist. Author of many <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Drew-Magary/e/B001JS8R52/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1">fine works of literature</a>, including Point B. Handsomest man in the world.

Drew Magary

Funbag

Autoplay Wants To Eat Your Humanity

Igor Shesterkin is named first star of the game

Shesterkin Shutout Stifles Squabble

Barry Petchesky

opossum, Red-Tailed Hawk, Raccoon (Photo by Dick Loek/Toronto Star via Getty Images)

This Is So Stupid

Critter Or Varmint?

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 10: Ausar Thompson #9 of the Detroit Pistons looks on during the game on February 10, 2024 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Tyler Ross/NBAE via Getty Images)

Don’t Look Now, But The Pistons Have Competition In The Crapper

charismatic megafauna (they/them)

Sabrina Imbler

A little yellow frog with a tiny white mushroom sprouting out of its side

Creaturefector

Mushroom Growing On A Frog? Now That’s A Toadstool

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Kendall Moriarty #15 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Alexis Markowski #40 celebrate after a basket as Caitlin Clark #22 of the Iowa Hawkeyes looks on in the second half at Pinnacle Bank Arena on February 11, 2024 in Lincoln, Nebraska.

College Basketball

The Nebraska Cornhuskers Spoiled A Party In Their Own House

Usher, Lil Jon, Jermaine Dupri and will.i.am perform onstage during the Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show in Las Vegas at Allegiant Stadium

The Usher Super Bowl Halftime Moments, Ranked

David Roth

Handsome-ass Justin Hartley at the 81st Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 7, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.

It’s Tracker

Jauan Jennings celebrates with his teammates after scoring a touchdown

Jauan Jennings Had The Best Game He’ll Ever Want To Forget

Luis Paez-Pumar

Fred Warner #54 of the San Francisco 49ers and Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs meet at mid-field for the overtime coin toss during Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The Niners Should Have Thought A Little Harder About The Overtime Rules

Dan McQuade was a founding member of Defector. He died in January 2026.

Dan McQuade

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 09: (EDITORS NOTE: Image contains nudity.) A fan dressed in costume as William Wallace from Braveheart, runs on the course during the second round of the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale on February 09, 2024 in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Golf

The Rowdy Golf Tournament Got Too Rowdy This Year

Mecole Hardman celebrates with Patrick Mahomes after scoring

Show The Guys When They’re Happiest

Ariana Grande attends the 62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards on January 26, 2020 in Los Angeles, California.

Crosswords

The Crossword, Feb. 12: Down For The Count

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 11: Head coach Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers looks on during the fourth quarter during Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Kyle Shanahan Has A Reputation

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 11: Trent McDuffie #22 of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrates with teammates after defeating the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in overtime during Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)